“Noxy loves to do many things at once. When reading his books, he'll eat and watch cartoons on his tablet or watch his cartoons whilst jumping on the trampoline. Although that isn’t the safest thing, he loves to be challenged as he gets bored very easily.  

“As a family we give Noxy a bit of freedom to do what he wants, so it’s important that we have the patience to understand and engage with him.”  

Lama says a key part of creating a safe environment for their son is by being honest with people about his likes and dislikes as well as preparing in advance for certain occasions and outings.  

“We think it’s important to educate our family and friends on things that our son likes and dislikes to avoid stress on himself as well as everyone else.  

“Our son is sensitive to certain sounds, so we plan ahead for any occasions or days out to ensure that wherever we take him, he is safe and doesn’t feel triggered or overwhelmed.”  

Lama says it is still important for Inoke to participate in activities that kids love, so finding alternatives that are not as triggering is something they prioritise. He offers some advice to Pacific parents navigating the same journey.  

“Educate yourself as much as you can with autism, there is no limit to knowing and understanding. There will be times where your patience wears thin, and you just want to give up, but one thing that has helped with fostering our patience is self-care and finding time to tend to your well-being.  

“My wife and I have grown and are still learning together how to counterbalance our time as parents and individuals who need to take care of ourselves as well as our family.”  

National Manager for Altogether Autism, Catherine Trezona, shares some advice in acknowledgement of Autism Acceptance Month.  

“If you think you have a child who is autistic, keep a journal of your observations. The more information you can provide, the easier it will be for the clinician to get a full picture of what is going on for your child.  

“If you’re someone who has a child or children who are autistic, embrace them as they are and put aside worries and judgements from others; it is important that you accept your child who is autistic and understand their unique perspective on the world.”  

Trezona encourages parents to connect with others who have a positive approach to their children who are autistic, and to pave the way for connection and socialising with other children with autism.  

Altogether Autism collaborated with ‘Mila’s Books’ and created a child friendly and family focused book named ‘Vāsifika’ that shares a number of stories of families who are currently navigating the journey of Autism with their autistic children. (https://milasbooks.com/products/vasifika)